THE Championship season is underway, with 24 teams looking to have a good season.

After Huddersfield Town’s surprise promotion last season, a number of teams will be hoping they have what it takes to go up.

The Championship XI to watch next term

Ryan Sessegnon Ruben Neves and Kenneth Zohore - The Championship XI to watch out for this season

But which players could be the standout stars of this campaign? Our friends at Football Whispers have a Championship XI you should look out for.

Goalkeeper – Felix Wiedwald (Leeds United)

If Leeds United want to finish in the top six this season, they’ll hope new goalkeeper Felix Wiedwald is a success.

He replaces Rob Green – who despite a bit of surprise when he joined last season, had a good campaign as they finished seventh – as No.1 at Elland Road,

But Wiedwald looks like a good buy – he made 25 Bundesliga appearances for Werder Bremen in 2016/17, helping them to an eighth-placed finish with five clean sheets

Playing regularly will be a big test for him. But he finished last season well after a shaky start and, if he carries on that form, he could prove to be a very good signing.

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The shot-stopper has represented Germany U20's at international level

Right-back – Andre Wisdom (Derby County)

Derby County brought into Andre Wisdom from Liverpool for £3m on a four-year deal this summer.

The defender has previously been at the Rams, making 38 appearances for them during the 2013/14 season.

Since then he’s spent time on loan at West Bromwich Albion, Norwich City and Red Bull Salzburg. But says he played the best football of his career at Pride Park.

“Even after I left Derby and went elsewhere, I don’t think I was playing the kind of football that I was during that loan spell,” he said when he joined.

His year at Derby saw them lose out in the play-off final, and Rams fans will be hoping his return will help them finally reach the top flight.

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The defender progressed through the youth teams at Liverpool before playing for the Reds reserves

Centre-back – Angus MacDonald (Barnsley)

The 24-year-old centre-half is into his second season at Barnsley, having joined from Torquay United last summer.

As recently as 2014, Angus MacDonald was playing non-league football for Salisbury City and will hope a good season this time round in England’s second tier could see his stock continue to rise.

Last term he was alongside Marc Roberts, who’s since moved to Birmingham City for £3.5m, and it will be a big test for him as the more experienced centre-back in the new-look Barnsley defence.

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The Barnsley skipper began his career at the Reading Academy

Centre-back – Christoph Zimmermann (Norwich City)

As Norwich City look to replicate Huddersfield with their German manager, Christoph Zimmermann already looks like a key part of their team.

The 24-year-old joined manager Daniel Farke in swapping Borussia Dortmund’s reserves for Carrow Road and had an impressive debut at Fulham, part of a defence which limited last season’s joint top scorers in the league to just one goal.

He was Farke’s captain at Borussia Dortmund II so the manager obviously trusts him, and he could be a crucial part in their new-look three at the back.

The 6ft 4ins defender could find a perfect home in the Championship, and he’s ready for the physicality of the league: “With my physical constitution I like the in-fights, I like winning headers,” he said upon his arrival.

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The Germain joined the Canaries on a two-year deal when his contract expired at Borussia Dortmund

Left-back – Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham)

It was a shock to many Fulham fans to see Ryan Sessegnon named in the PFA Championship Team of the Year last season at just 16.

That’s not to say he didn’t have a great breakthrough season, but he was often used further forward with Scott Malone Slavisa Jokanovic’s pick at left-back.

But with Malone now at Huddersfield, Sessegnon is the Whites’ first-choice left back.

Subject of Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur transfer rumours, the now-17-year-old has pledged his future to Fulham and it will be a crucial year for him, as he looks to build on his five league goals and fine start to first-team football.

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Sessegnon went on to score three goals in the Euro U19 finals after being named in England's 18-man squad

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Russian thugs in mass brawl ahead of United and Liverpool playing in Moscow

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CITY HIJACK

Central midfielder – Madger Gomes (Leeds United)

The signings of Wiedwald, Vurnon Anita and Hadi Sacko may have been higher profile for Leeds this summer, but the arrival of 20-year-old Madger Gomes from Liverpool could prove to be the most exciting.

The former Villarreal youngster failed to make the first team at Anfield and was signed for Leeds’ Under-23 side with a view to moving to the first team in the future.

But impressive performances in pre-season, especially against North Ferriby United where he ran the game, showed glimpses of his enormous potential.

He has been given a squad number and, although he didn’t make the 18 for Sunday’s 3-2 win over Bolton Wanderers, it would be no surprise if he established himself as a regular member the first team by the end of the season.

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The versatility of Gomes allows him to excel in both midfield and attack

Central midfielder – Ruben Neves (Wolverhampton Wanderers)

There’s no doubt who the most exciting signing of the summer is. Once a Liverpool and Chelsea transfer target, Ruben Neves is perhaps the biggest sign of Jorge Mendes’ influence at Wolves.

The ex-Porto midfielder arrived at Molineux for £15million, joining up with fellow Mendes clients Helder Costa and Nuno Espirito Santo.

He captained Porto at just 18 and that class was already on show as he helped Wolves to a 1-0 win over Championship favourites Middlesbrough on the opening weekend.

Neves ran the show and looked the heartbeat of a Wolves team that could go places this season.

Everyone will be watching him but if he thrives under the pressure, he could very well be playing Premier League football in gold and black next season.

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The Portuguese starlet joined Wolves for a club and league record fee of £15m

Right winger – George Honeyman (Sunderland)

There wasn’t much hope around Sunderland at the start of the season, especially after Darron Gibson’s rant laying into his team-mates after a 6-0 defeat at home to Celtic.

But a 1-1 draw against play-off hopefuls Derby on the first day of the campaign will have helped improve the move a bit around the Stadium of Light.

A bonus will have been the performance of George Honeyman on the wing for Simon Grayson’s side.

The 22-year-old, who came through the youth system at Sunderland, was hugely impressive after featuring just five times in the Black Cats’ disappointing Premier League campaign last season.

He may have found a level that suits, and with the support only a player who’s come from the youth team gets, he could really thrive this season.

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Honeyman joined Sunderland's academy at the age of 10, before making his professional debut in 2015

Attacking midfielder – Tom Cairney (Fulham)

The standout player in a Fulham side that played the best football in the Championship last season, all eyes will be on Tom Cairney this season.

He was a Newcastle United transfer target in the summer, with the Magpies having a £20million bid rejected by Jokanovic’s side.

And when a bid of that much money is rejected, it’s only natural to expect the player to have a great season.

There’s hope and expectation at Craven Cottage he can replicate the heights of last season. He was at the centre of everything good about Fulham last term, scoring 13 goals and providing ten assists, as well as having the best passing accuracy in the Championship – 92.6% – while making the most passes in the league – 3623.

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Cairney has previously played for Hull City and Blackburn Rovers

Left winger – Jota (Brentford)

The January return of Spaniard Jota from his 18-month loan at Eibar really revitalised Brentford last season.

He arrived slightly too late for a play-off push, but he finished the campaign with 12 goals and five assists from just 19 Championship starts, giving Brentford fans real hope for the 2017/18 season.

Already a cult hero thanks to his last-minute goal in the 2-1 win over rivals Fulham, he could cement his legendary status if he builds on last season’s form and helps Brentford to a surprise promotion.

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Jota is a product of the Celta Vigo youth system

Striker – Kenneth Zohore (Cardiff City)

At just 23, Kenneth Zohore is already a massive physical presence with a really bright future ahead of him.

Neil Warnock’s arrival at Cardiff City really helped kick-start his Bluebirds career, and he scored 10 goals in 11 games at the start of 2017.

He only got 12 in total but, if he can continue that form, Championship defences will be terrified of him.

Zohore isn’t doing too bad at international level either – the Dane got two goals and two assists in his only start at this summer’s Under-21 Euros.

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Zohore's father is the second cousin of former Chelsea talisman Didier Drogba